Report 99-003 Aerospatiale AS 350B ZK-HBH Collision with Terrain Rowallan Forest, Southland 2 April 1999 Abstract
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Report 99-003 Aerospatiale AS 350B ZK-HBH collision with terrain Rowallan Forest, Southland 2 April 1999 Abstract On Good Friday, 2 April 1999, Aerospatiale AS350B helicopter ZK-HBH was on a charter flight from Clifden, carrying a hunting party into Fiordland when some loss of control occurred. The helicopter collided with trees and the ground in the Rowallan Forest, killing all 5 occupants. The cause of the loss of control was not conclusively established, but the pilot’s ability to control the helicopter may have been medically impaired by the sudden onset of a cardiac event. Safety issues identified include: · the need for a cargo restraint system for helicopter operations · the need for a passenger list system for helicopter operations. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is an independent Crown entity established to determine the circumstances and causes of accidents and incidents with a view to avoiding similar occurrences in the future. Accordingly it is inappropriate that reports should be used to assign fault or blame or determine liability, since neither the investigation nor the reporting process has been undertaken for that purpose. The Commission may make recommendations to improve transport safety. The cost of implementing any recommendation must always be balanced against its benefits. Such analysis is a matter for the regulator and the industry. These reports may be reprinted in whole or in part without charge, providing acknowledgement is made to the Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Transport Accident Investigation Commission P O Box 10-323, Wellington, New Zealand Phone +64 4 473 3112 Fax +64 4 499 1510 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.taic.org.nz Contents List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... ii Data Summary ...................................................................................................................... iii 1. Factual Information ............................................................................................................1 1.1 History of the flight................................................................................................1 1.2 Injuries to personnel ..............................................................................................2 1.3 Damage to aircraft .................................................................................................2 1.4 Other damage ........................................................................................................2 1.5 Personnel information ............................................................................................2 1.6 Aircraft information...............................................................................................3 1.7 Meteorological information ....................................................................................4 1.8 Aids to navigation..................................................................................................4 1.9 Communications ....................................................................................................4 1.10 Aerodrome information ..........................................................................................4 1.11 Flight recorders......................................................................................................4 1.12 Wreckage and impact information ..........................................................................5 1.13 Medical and pathological information.....................................................................6 1.14 Fire........................................................................................................................7 1.15 Survival aspects.....................................................................................................7 1.16 Tests and research..................................................................................................7 1.17 Organisational and management information ..........................................................7 1.18 Additional information ...........................................................................................8 2. Analysis ..............................................................................................................................8 3. Findings ............................................................................................................................10 4. Safety Recommendations ..................................................................................................11 Report 99-003, page i List of Abbreviations amsl above mean sea level CAA New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority CG centre of gravity ECG electrocardiograph ELT emergency locator transmitter FM frequency modulated GPS global positioning system HF high frequency kg kilogram m metre nm nautical miles NZST New Zealand standard time RBBB right bundle branch block RCC rescue coordination centre SAR search and rescue SARSAT search and rescue satellite THL The Helicopter Line (Tourism Holdings Limited) UTC universal coordinated time VHF very high frequency Report 99-003, page ii Aircraft Accident Report 99-003 Data Summary Aircraft type, serial number Aerospatiale AS 350B, 1283, and registration: ZK-HBH Number and type of engines: one Turbomeca Arriel 1B Year of manufacture: 1980 Date and time: 2 April 1999, 1301 hours1 Location: in the Rowallan Forest, 8.5 nm north-west of Tuatapere latitude: 46° 02.7' south longitude: 167° 30.5' east Type of flight: air transport, charter Persons on board: crew: 1 passengers: 4 Injuries: crew: 1 fatal passengers: 4 fatal Nature of damage: aircraft destroyed Pilot’s licence: Commercial Pilot Licence (Helicopter) Pilot’s age: 47 Pilot’s total flying experience: 14 693 hours on helicopters over 5000 hours on type Investigator-in-Charge: J J Goddard 1 All times in this report are NZST (UTC + 12 hours) Report 99-003, page iii 1. Factual Information 1.1 History of the flight 1.1.1 On Good Friday, 2 April 1999, the pilot of South West Helicopters’ Aerospatiale AS 350B Squirrel helicopter, ZK-HBH, had a busy day with several charter flights booked, principally for hunting parties going into various remote Fiordland locations. He began duty at 0700 hours, preparing the helicopter for the day’s flying. 1.1.2 The first flight departed from his home base at Clifden, near Tuatapere, at 0808 hours, and arrived at Puysegur Point at 0841 hours. After visiting other locations in Preservation Inlet the helicopter returned to base at 0913 hours. 1.1.3 The second flight departed at 0923 hours, arriving at Lake Kakapo at 0947 hours. It departed at 0956 for Lake Poteriteri, arriving at 1001 hours. The helicopter was flown to Lake Hauroko where it was used to lift a jetboat across to Lake Poteriteri; returned to Lake Hauroko to pick up a passenger, and returned to base at 1041 hours. 1.1.4 After the pilot refuelled the helicopter, he departed on the third flight at 1056 hours, arriving at Lake Poteriteri at 1113 hours and returning to base at 1133 hours. 1.1.5 The fourth flight departed at 1148 hours, arriving at Lake Kiwi at 1219 hours, and returning to base at 1242 hours. 1.1.6 The fifth flight, a party of 4 hunters with their supplies for 10 days, was then loaded. The plan was to fly the party to Lake Poteriteri, pick up an inflatable boat belonging to the pilot, and fly on to Preservation Inlet. 1.1.7 The flight departed at 1255 hours. The pilot made a routine radio call at 1259 hours to the office of another helicopter company in Queenstown who were temporarily conducting flight-following for his operation. He reported their departure from Clifden for Lake Poteriteri, then to Puysegur Point. No further radio transmissions from ZK-HBH were heard. 1.1.8 At 1301 hours the helicopter flew into the canopy of the Rowallan Forest in a position 8 nm west- north-west of Clifden. It collided with numerous trees before the final impact with the ground at an elevation of 600 feet amsl. There were no witnesses to the flight. 1.1.9 The Queenstown flight-following operator reported concerns to the company at about 1420 hours, that ZK-HBH had not made any further radio call. The company’s preliminary plan was to get their other helicopter, then about to leave Stewart Island, to start a search on returning to Te Anau. 1.1.10 The search and rescue response proper began when a SARSAT satellite detected an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal in the general area at 1449 hours. This position was refined by further SARSAT information at 1518 hours, and at 1542 hours the rescue coordination centre (RCC) commissioned a search by 2 local helicopters. Both helicopters were searching electronically for the ELT by 1655 hours, and reporting some difficulty in defining its position. 1.1.11 ZK-HBH was located at 1853 hours, at about nightfall. Rescuers were winched to the site in darkness, where they ascertained that no occupants of the helicopter had survived. Report 99-003, page 1 1.2 Injuries to personnel Injuries Crew Passengers Others Fatal 1 4 - Serious - - - Minor/nil - - 1.3 Damage to aircraft 1.3.1 ZK-HBH was substantially damaged by numerous collisions with trees and with the terrain. 1.4 Other damage 1.4.1 Nil. 1.5 Personnel information 1.5.1 Pilot: Male, aged 47 years Licence: Commercial Pilot Licence (Helicopter) Aircraft ratings: Hughes 269 and 369, Bell 206, AS 350 Medical certificate: Class